Scorpions

Most Popular Pet Scorpions

~ BackwaterReptiles

What are the most popular pet scorpions?

Are you in the market for a pet scorpion but you’re unsure what species would be the best fit for you and your family? The good news is Backwater Reptiles is here to help!

We ship all kinds of scorpions all over the world to everyone ranging from people who want to keep them as personal pets to zoos and universities that place them into collections or exhibits for educational purposes.

If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of choices on the market at pet stores and breeders, then this is the blog article for you. In this article, we’ll discuss our top four most popular scorpions and how to best care for them. Luckily, no matter which scorpion you ultimately choose, they’re all really low maintenance pets with simple care requirements.

So, without further ado, we give you……

Backwater Reptiles’ most popular scorpions

scorpion cage set up
A scorpion cage is a relatively simple enclosure to set up. These invertebrates don’t require much to thrive, which is part of the reason why they make such great pets. Learn about how to set up a scorpion habitat here.

Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)

Emperor Scorpions are probably our top-selling scorpion species at Backwater Reptiles. However, due to supply and demand, we do not always have them available so we often recommend their close cousins, the Dictator Scorpion or the Asian Forest Scorpion, when we run out.

This species of scorpion is one of the largest in the world and maxes out at around six to eight inches in length. They are also quite heavy-bodied with stocky, thick torsos and limbs and broad pincher claws. They are a very dark brown or black in coloration and the tips of their extremities can be a bit lighter in tone.

The average life span for such a large invertebrate species when kept in captivity is typically ten years, give or take. We advise that potential scorpion owners keep that in mind when purchasing.

Despite their large size, Emperor Scorpions actually don’t need a whole lot of space to thrive. A ten gallon tank will suffice for a full-grown adult or two, although if you plan to keep more together communally, we do recommend a bigger enclosure to prevent competition for resources and mates.

Unlike pet reptiles, scorpions do not like UV rays, therefore a UV lamp is not only not necessary, but impractical as well. On the other hand, a heat mat should be kept under the tank where it can provide a warm place for the scorpion to retire to.

Ambient cage temperatures should be in the eighties during the day with only a slight drop in temperature at night time since Emperors are a tropical species.

Although we mentioned that Emperor Scorpions do not need UV lighting, they are a species that glow under a black light. This is a really neat trick that children will love to see, so we recommend investing in a black light if you plan to make your scorpion a family or class room pet.

Make sure that your Emperor Scorpion’s tank has an appropriate substrate. This is a species that can burrow, although they do not always exhibit this behavior. They are shy creatures though, so in addition to the substrate a few hide spots are essential additions to your scorpion’s enclosure.

Like all scorpions, Emperors are carnivores. In captivity, they thrive on a diet of crickets, roaches, mealworms, and occasional wax worm treats. A single adult scorpion should be eating three to four insects per week, typically offered individually at night time when the scorpion will be most active.

One of the main reasons that Emperor Scorpions make such popular pets is that they are one of the more docile species of scorpion. They are very hesitant to sting and their venom is considered mild to those without allergies.

However, despite their “cheery” dispositions, we do recommend that the inexperienced handle scorpions with gloves and exercise extreme caution. Learn to read your scorpion’s body language when it’s being handled before exposing yourself or anyone else’s open skin to the animal.

If you are interested in purchasing your very own Emperor Scorpion, Backwater Reptiles has them for sale here.

Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus longimanus)

Asian Forest Scorpions are extremely similar in appearance to Emperor Scorpions. In fact, to the inexperienced, the two are nearly indistinguishable until maturity at which point Emperors surpass Asian Forest Scorpions in terms of size.

As mentioned, Asian Forest Scorpions are very similar in appearance to Emperor Scorpions. They have very dark brown or black exoskeletons with lighter tips of their extremities. They are also stocky and thick-bodied. However, Asian Forest Scorpions rarely surpass five to six inches in length.

scorpion under black light
Nearly all species of scorpion glow under black light. Check out this photo of an Asian Forest Scorpion underneath a black light!

This species is probably one of the easiest kinds of scorpions to care for and they also breed easily in captivity. This means that you can acquire a gravid female of your own and watch her abdomen swell with babies and then care for those babies once they’re born! Or, alternatively, it is also fun to do breeding projects of your own once you are proficient in the care of the adults.

One thing that many people enjoy about Asian Forest Scorpions is their appetite. These scorpions rarely refuse a meal and certainly enjoy mealtime! Like all scorpions, they eat appropriately-sized insects.

Did you know that if you feed them well and make sure that all the scorpions are of a similar size, you can actually house Asian Forest Scorpions communally? They are semi-social and will typically get along fine provided they have enough space and are not competing for resources.

If you are interested in obtaining a pet Asian Forest Scorpion of your own, you can purchase a baby, adult, or even gravid/pregnant female from Backwater Reptiles here.

Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis)

The Desert Hairy Scorpion is known for being the largest scorpion species native to North America. It gets its common name from the fact that it is typically found in desert climates and also because of the many sensitive hairs that adorn its exoskeleton and help it detect vibration in order to locate prey or avoid larger predatory animals.

Unlike the other scorpions on this list, the Desert Hairy has a pale yellow or straw-colored exoskeleton with dark brown to black accents on its back and head. It is also lankier and leaner than its darker-bodied brethren with thinner appendages and pinchers.

We’d like all potential Desert Hairy Scorpion owners to know that this species can actually be a bit more aggressive than the others on this list. In fact, they are typically more timid and flighty and are overall a bit more unpredictable as far as temperament is concerned.

Although this scorpion’s sting is not highly venomous, it can be painful, therefore we recommend that only those with intermediate to expert levels of experience handling scorpions and other venomous invertebrates take on a Desert Hairy Scorpion. These are best kept as a display pet, not an interactive one.

In the wild, Desert Hairy Scorpions are known for eating locusts and other smaller species of scorpion. In captivity, they will do well eating crickets and other appropriately sized insects.

Typically they should be fed a few times per week as adults and daily as babies. Aside from being fed and making sure they have a small source of water, they should require relatively little maintenance.

Desert Hairy Scorpions are aggressive towards one another and territorial. This means that unfortunately, unless you are attempting to breed, they should be housed individually. Humidity levels in their enclosure should be around 55 percent and the temperature should stay between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you are ready for the responsibility, Backwater Reptiles has lovely Desert Hairy Scorpions for sale here.

Dictator Scorpion (Pandinus dictator)

The Dictator Scorpion is famous for being quite possibly the largest scorpion species on the planet! They can reach lengths of eight inches and beyond!

Dictators are very closely related to Emperor Scorpions and very much resemble them in terms of appearance. Both species are hefty-bodied with large pinchers and limbs and are sturdy and solid overall in appearance. The main difference between these two species is that Dictators surpass Emperors in terms of size.

Unfortunately, even though we have ongoing efforts to breed this species of scorpion, they are still considered a rarity in the scorpion enthusiast world. They are quite hard to come by!

So, although it’s true that many people might not own a pet Dictator Scorpion, we have included them on our most popular pet scorpions list because they sell out as quickly as we obtain them. We never manage to keep these beauties in stock for very long and we feel this makes them one of our top species.

pandinus dictator baby
This baby Dictator Scorpion will grow into the largest species of scorpion in the world!

Dictator Scorpions have very similar care requirements to Emperor Scorpions with a few exceptions. In fact, we’ve actually written an entire separate blog article dedicated to the husbandry of this rare species, which you can read here.

If you are interested in obtaining one of these lovely, large scorpions for your own collection, Backwater Reptiles does have them for sale here.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed reading about our most popular selection of pet scorpions. We think there is something unique, fascinating, and worthwhile about each and every scorpion species, however the ones in this article are the ones that people seem to gravitate towards.

We highly recommend doing your research and making sure that a pet scorpion is right for you and/or your family prior to purchasing. While they are striking, scorpions can live anywhere from five to ten plus years depending on the species! So, while most (if not all) species are incredibly low maintenance pets, they will stick around for quite a long time.

Just in case you want to check out how the scorpions at the Backwater Reptiles facility are kept happy and healthy, feel free to watch the video below. In it, we go into detail about what should be included in a typical scorpion cage set up.

What’s your favorite species of scorpion? Tell us in the comments!

Don’t miss our other scorpion-related articles including:

What do scorpions eat? and How to pick up a scorpion

How to Set Up a Scorpion Enclosure

~ BackwaterReptiles

One of the first things to consider when purchasing a non-traditional pet of any sort is where the animal will live. What type of cage or enclosure does it require to stay happy and healthy? How can you make sure your pet’s housing needs are met?

Because scorpions are pretty popular in the reptile hobbyist world (despite the fact that they’re obviously not reptiles!), we get asked a lot about scorpion care, housing, and husbandry. In this blog article we’ll answer the following questions:

Do scorpions make good pets?
What do you need to set up a scorpion enclosure?
How do I set up a scorpion enclosure?
What types of scorpions is this set up appropriate for?
Where can I buy a scorpion enclosure kit?

How to set up a scorpion enclosure

Do scorpions make good pets?

We certainly think that scorpions make great pets! However, they are certainly not for everyone.

Keep in mind that scorpions obviously have venomous, stinging tails and pinchers, so they can be dangerous if you don’t know how to handle one. Most people report that the sting of a scorpion feels similar to a bee sting and the effects of the venom vary from species to species, but usually, they don’t cause too much harm unless you happen to be allergic.

So, because scorpions require careful handling and a knowledge of how to handle a venomous invertebrate, we’d say make sure that you are not squeamish, afraid, or allergic before you decide to purchase a pet scorpion.

We’d also like to mention that scorpions are not meant to be interactive, social pets. They thrive when left alone to their own devices, so please don’t purchase a pet scorpion with the intent of handling it all the time. Scorpions are relatively secretive and will get stressed with too much human interaction.

So, the bottom line is if you are not allergic to scorpion venom, if you are okay with a mostly “look don’t touch” pet, and you aren’t squeamish around invertebrates, then a scorpion would make a great pet!

What will I need to set up a scorpion enclosure?

Believe it or not, scorpions cages are very simple. You don’t need a lot of room, decorations, or other accessories in order for your pet scorpion to thrive.

Listed below are the items needed to set up your pet scorpion’s home:

Cage/Enclosure/Home – This is a pretty obvious requirement. Clearly your scorpion will need an enclosed space of some sort to call its home. We recommend a clear plastic or glass box or tank so that you are able to view your scorpion when it emerges from hiding.

Ideally, your enclosure will be longer rather than it is taller and possess more horizontal space than it does vertical as scorpions are not arboreal invertebrates and won’t be doing any climbing.

We also highly recommend that your tank or cage have a lid. While it’s true that scorpions can’t really climb, especially up the walls of a glass tank, we do recommend it for safety purposes. A lid can help prevent many types of accidents and will also prevent your scorpion from getting out of its tank on the off chance that it is an escape artist.

Substrate – All scorpion cages should be lined with some sort of substrate. Scorpions can be burrowers, so make sure to choose a substrate that supports this habit. At Backwater Reptiles, we usually use coconut husk mixed with sand because it holds tunnels well and is very safe for the scorpion. However, depending on the species, you can use other types of substrates too.

Forest species will require some moisture, so substrates such as peat moss, coconut husk, and even orchid bark mixed with organic potting soil are all good options. Desert species such as the desert hairy scorpion, will require a much drier substrate. Sand is generally the best option for a desert species.

scorpion kit
Pictured is the Backwater Reptiles scorpion kit. It includes all that you see – a plastic faunarium complete with lid, a brick of plantation soil substrate, a faux plant, a water dish, and a rock hide space. This set up works great with nearly all species of scorpions.

Hide Space – Scorpions are by nature pretty shy and secretive, so a hide space is essential. They require an area where they can feel secure and invisible from predators.

There are any number of hides you can make or purchase. We prefer something simple with a bit of weight to it so that the scorpion can’t accidentally displace or dislodge it.

Water Dish – Although you’ll likely never ever see your pet scorpion drinking water, it is still in the best interests of your scorpion to provide a sturdy water dish.

A water dish helps maintain proper humidity levels and is also important for hydration should your scorpion become thirsty.

We highly recommend a dish that is heavy enough to stay put. You don’t want a light weight dish that will tip over or spill water everywhere within the scorpion’s cage as this could lead to the growth of mold or fungus.

Foliage/Plant – Scorpions don’t need a lot of cage accessories to do well in captivity. Because they usually do best in relatively small enclosures, we recommend a small plastic plant that doesn’t spread out or stick up too high. This gives a natural look to the cage and also provides a bit of decoration.

Heating Pad/Heating Mat – If you maintain decent temperatures and don’t allow your room to grow too cold or too warm, most scorpions don’t absolutely require a heating element, although we do recommend it to at least give them the option to thermoregulate.

If you do choose to provide a heating element, we don’t recommend heat lights or lamps as scorpions tend to avoid light and will simply hide from it all day. Rather, we recommend investing in a heat mat that you secure to the side of the enclosure. Because scorpions are known for burrowing, sticking the mat to the bottom of the tank might actually create temperatures that are too warm and you could inadvertently “cook” your scorpion!

Springtails – Believe it or not, springtails are actually something living that you can add to your scorpion’s set up in order to promote a healthy cage ecosystem. They are however not a necessary addition to your scorpion’s set up and are completely optional.

Springtails are actually tiny little bugs that are helpful in breaking down waste elements in the scorpion’s environment. This is beneficial to all parties because this means you have to clean your scorpion’s enclosure less frequently and your scorpion is not walking around in its own waste.

Remember how we mentioned that you want to be careful when choosing a water dish as you don’t want to create excess moisture that could lead to fungus and mold growing within the scorpion’s enclosure? Well, springtails can actually help alleviate mold and fungus, so they are also beneficial when it comes to keeping harmful and invasive elements out of your scorpion’s environment.

How do I set up a scorpion enclosure?

Once you’ve obtained the items on the list above (read more on where to purchase these items later on in this article), it’s a very straight forward, simple process to prepare your scorpion’s enclosure.

The first step is to line your enclosure with your chosen substrate. Make sure that it is at the proper moisture level. Desert scorpions should have dry substrate, while tropical species should have more moisture. Usually you want the substrate to be damp but certainly not dripping.

arizona bark scorpion
Pictured is a young Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus). This species is actually the most venomous in the entire United States, so be wary when purchasing one. You can follow the set up we describe in this blog article when keeping an Arizona bark scorpion, just make sure to choose an appropriate substrate. As its name suggests, this particular species prefers dry bark, wood, or leaf litter.

If you have a heating pad, secure it to one side of the enclosure, preferably on a side wall and not on the bottom of the tank.

All of the other elements of the set up – the water dish, the hide space, and the  faux foliage – can be placed however you desire within the cage. We usually like to keep the water dish on the same side as the heat because the evaporation helps to maintain moisture levels. Just be aware that if you choose this option, you’ll likely need to refill the water dish more frequently.

As you can see, setting up the enclosure for a scorpion is really not rocket science. You basically just place the objects listed above in the cage as you choose and – voila – your scorpion’s home is ready to go!

What types of scorpions is this set up appropriate for?

This type of set up will work excellent for just about every type of scorpion available to keep as a pet.

We’d like to point out that the only real difference in cage set ups to be aware of is that desert scorpion species will require a dry substrate, whereas tropical species will require a moist substrate.

Otherwise, you can follow our instructions for setting up this type of scorpion enclosure for any species!

Where can I buy a scorpion enclosure kit?

If you’re wondering where to get all of the items listed above, it’s really actually very simple. Backwater Reptiles not only sells pet scorpions, we also sell scorpion kits!

Contained within the kit is the actual cage/terrarium itself, substrate, a plastic plant, and a water dish. The only items not included would be a heating pad and the springtails, although as we’ve mentioned, both are optional.

burrowing scorpion
Pictured is a burrowing scorpion which is a species known for being able to dig burrows nearly five feet deep in the wild. In captivity, you’ll want to be sure to provide as much burrowing area as possible, which means securing a substrate that can hold tunnels and burrows. Coconut husk mixed with sand is great option.

All you need to do to find our scorpion kits is visit any “scorpion for sale” page and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There you will find listed two different sized scorpion kits. You can select from small/medium and medium/large depending on the size of your pet scorpion.

If you do wish to buy a heating element, you can go to any commercial pet store and obtain a reptile heating mat for relatively low cost.

You can also go to a commercial pet store to purchase all the elements included in the Backwater Reptiles scorpion kit, however it does save you time, energy, effort, and money to purchase a kit/bundle.

Unfortunately, springtails are not sold by Backwater Reptiles. They are also not commercially available in pet stores. If you wish to add springtails to your scorpion’s little ecosystem, then your best bet is to purchase them online.

springtails
Springtails make great additions to your scorpion’s cage, although they are not necessary. They’ll simply help maintain cleanliness by breaking down waste and harmful organisms like mold and fungi.

How to set up a scorpion enclosure video tutorial

Although we’ve written out how to set up a scorpion’s enclosure and detailed the supplies needed to do so, we’ve also included a brief video tutorial that walks you through the same process. You can view it below.

Conclusion

We hope this article has shown you how simple and easy it is to set up a scorpion’s enclosure.

Scorpions can make awesome pets for the right owner. If you want a very low maintenance pet that is mostly “for looks,” then a scorpion would be a good fit.

Although they’re not a very hands on or interactive pet, they can be very rewarding to keep and show off to friends and family.

But please, be smart when buying a scorpion. Make sure that if you do handle it, you do so with extreme caution. Although scorpions are not lethal (unless you have an allergy), their sting is still painful.

Don’t miss our other scorpion-related articles including:

The most popular pet scorpions

What do scorpions eat?

How to pick up a scorpion

How to care for baby scorpions

How to Care for Baby Scorpions

~ BackwaterReptiles

What if your pet scorpions have mated and now you’ve got a bunch of scorpion babies to care for? Or perhaps you recently acquired a gravid mother scorpion who just gave birth? No matter the scenario, you now have scorplings to care for.

You’re probably wondering what to do with all the tiny, delicate babies? How do you care for them? What does such a tiny invertebrate eat? Is it safe to handle them?

In this blog article, we will answer commonly asked questions such as the ones above and discuss in detail how we care for our scorplings.

How to care for baby scorpions

What do I do once my scorpion has given birth?

If you don’t handle your scorpion too frequently, you may not even be aware that your female is gravid, particularly if you’ve only recently acquired her. It’s very possible you might wake up one morning to discover a batch of scorplings riding around on her back.

caring for baby scorpions
Luckily, mother scorpions do most of the work when it comes to caring for newborn scorplings. Here’s one of our Dictator scorpions (Pandinus dictator) with her babies.

If you just have a single female in a small enclosure, don’t move her. The less you disturb her, the better. Disturbances will stress her and could even cause her to eat her babies.

The babies will actually ride around on the mother scorpion’s back for a few weeks until they have undergone their first molt. During this time, the mother will make sure they are fed and cared for, so the best thing you can do to care for the babies is to ensure the mother is well-cared for.

Perhaps the most important aspect of baby scorpion care when the scorplings are still on the mother’s back is making sure that mama scorpion is well-fed. If she feels hungry or doesn’t get enough food, she will eat her children, so we recommend offering her food on a daily basis.

Watch the mother and babies closely for the first few weeks. You will want to remove the babies once they have molted as they will no longer ride around on their mother’s back. Allowing them to remain in the same enclosure as their mother once they are off her back is a bad idea as once more, the mother might see her babies as a food source rather than as her children.

What kind of care set up should I provide for my baby scorpions?

Not surprisingly, baby scorpions have the same care requirements as their adult counterparts. The only real difference in care is that obviously smaller invertebrates eat smaller food. We will go into what to feed your baby scorpion in the next section.

When creating a habitat for your baby scorpions, it is generally acceptable to place them all in a single container until they outgrow it.

baby pandinus dictator
Pictured is a baby Dictator scorpion (Pandinus dictator).

Your scorpion tank should be well-ventilated with a screen lid or lid with holes in it. You should line the bottom of the tank with a substrate such as cocoa fiber, moss, or other similar material.

A UV light is not necessary as scorpions tend to avoid lighted areas. Instead, you should use a heat mat in order to maintain ambient temperatures in the 80s. We don’t recommend using a heat lamp unless you want to mist the enclosure regularly as heat lamps tend to dry out substrates.

Another essential element to a scorpion enclosure is plenty of places to hide. You can use something as simple as used toilet paper or paper towel rolls to fancy logs and pet store hide spaces.

What do I feed my baby scorpions?

Small, fragile  baby scorpions means small prey items. What then, is small enough to feed baby scorpions?

At Backwater Reptiles, once our scorplings are not living on their mother’s back anymore, we feed them pinhead crickets and fruit flies. Both of these are appropriately-sized invertebrates that baby scorpions are quick to consume.

You can place one or two pinhead crickets per scorpion into the enclosure each day. We’ve even heard that squishing the crickets so that the soft insides come out is a useful trick to get baby scorpions to eat, but ours seem to eat living crickets just fine.

In addition to food, baby scorpions should have a water source. You can place a small container that the scorplings can’t drown in inside the cage, however, we think that soaking a cotton ball in water is actually a better way to hydrate your baby scorpions.

When are my baby scorpions old enough to be handled?

Technically, once the babies are off the mother’s back, they can be handled, but we don’t recommend it as they are still very fragile and still very small.

Once their exoskeletons have had time to harden, it should be safe to pick up and handle your baby scorpions. This could take anywhere from a few weeks to a month and a half depending on the species.

dictator scorpion babies
Baby scorpions will cluster on their mother’s back until they have undergone their first molt.

We personally recommend leaving handling to a minimum until the scorplings have darkened up or gotten close to reaching their adult coloration. Once this occurs, their exoskeletons are usually hard enough to protect them properly from any jostling that might unintentionally occur.

Conclusion – baby scorpion care

Overall, caring for baby scorpions is not really that much different than caring for adult scorpions. The main difference is in what size prey items you offer.

And luckily, mother scorpions are actually pretty good at taking care of their babies until they are strong enough to fend for themselves. Nature takes care of the hardest part for you. All you need to do is pick up where mama scorpion leaves off.

If you are interested in starting a scorpion family of your own, Backwater Reptiles has many different species of scorpion for sale.

 

 

Florida Bark Scorpion Care (Centruroides gracilis)

~ BackwaterReptiles

Although they’re not necessarily the most hands-on kind of pet, scorpions are most certainly growing in popularity. Florida Bark scorpion care doesn’t have to be complex–it’s actually fairly simple.

This blog article will spot-light the Florida bark scorpion (Centruroides gracilis), which is also commonly called the brown bark scorpion, and the slender brown scorpion. We’ll go into detail about how we care for them at Backwater Reptiles.

Florida Bark Scorpion Care

Florida Bark Scorpion Description

Considered a medium to large-sized scorpion, the Florida bark scorpion will reach lengths of approximately four inches. Males will usually have slightly longer tails than females and therefore be slightly longer, although females tend to have bulkier bodies.

Florida bark scorpion care
Florida bark scorpions can be found in southern Florida, explaining the origin of this scorpion’s common name. We will explain their care requirements in this article.

A typical Florida bark scorpion has a dark brown body, which appears nearly black in dim lighting, although sometimes they appear dusky brownish red as well. Its legs are typically lighter in tone and it will usually have faint yellowish markings on its back.

Florida Bark Scorpion Care: Habitat

Florida bark scorpions prefer warm, humid climates and can be found throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and southern Florida.

Unlike many species of scorpions, the Florida bark scorpion can be housed communally with other scorpions. Just be sure they are of comparable size as smaller scorpions will be considered food!

This species requires very little space to thrive. In fact, a five gallon tank is sufficient room for an entire colony. However, if you do keep multiple animals together, we do recommend keeping an eye out for gravid females as you don’t want any babies to get eaten once they are birthed.

slender brown scorpion
Florida bark scorpions are dark brown with lighter brown extremities.

Make sure your tank has a secure lid. Even though it might not seem true, Florida bark scorpions are known for their propensity to escape and they will slip through screen lids that are not tightly fitted. We’ve heard of owners who actually put a one inch band of petroleum jelly or other lubricating agent around the inside rim of the enclosure to make it too slippery for the scorpion to escape.

The appropriate temperature range for the Florida bark scorpion is 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend a heating pad to achieve this temperature as scorpions avoid light and heat lamps could cause undue stress to them.

Provide a substrate that retains moisture well as these scorpions enjoy humid environments. We recommend chemical-free, organic potting soil or coconut husk mulch. A few light-weight decorations that provide crevices and hiding places such as cork bark will also make good cage accessories.

Florida Bark Scorpion Care: Feeding

Florida bark scorpions are carnivores and will eat pretty much any insect they can grab in the wild.

At Backwater Reptiles, we offer our Florida bark scorpions a variety of feeder insects. Gut-loaded crickets, small roaches, and meal worms are all acceptable options.

florida bark scorpion
Florida bark scorpions are carnivores and will eat virtually any insect they stumble upon.

We suggest offering a variety so that your scorpion’s nutritional needs are met.

Florida Bark Scorpion Care: Handling

Like all scorpion species, the Florida bark scorpion is venomous. Therefore, unless you are extremely confident in your abilities, we do not recommend picking up or holding any species of pet scorpion unless it’s necessary.

Florida bark scorpions are known to be speedy, feisty, and somewhat more aggressive. If you do handle this species, be sure that you are prepared to potentially be stung. While they are not known to be particularly venomous or toxic, their sting is reputed to be more painful than most.

You can also handle the Florida bark scorpion with tongs/tweezers by gripping it near the tip of the tail. We’ve actually written a comprehensive article all about how to handle your pet scorpion if you need more tips.

brown bark scorpion
We don’t recommend handling a Florida bark scorpion unless you are very experienced because they can be feisty.

Florida Bark Scorpion Care: Conclusion

Florida bark scorpions can make exciting and stimulating pet invertebrates if you are not in the market for a pet you can cuddle with on the couch.

This species might be inclined to sting and rather feisty, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to love one. We just recommend that you have some experience keeping scorpions before investing in a pet Florida bark scorpion.

If you think you have what it takes to care for a Florida bark scorpion of your own, Backwater Reptiles sells these beautiful invertebrates. We hope you’ve gleaned some helpful information from our Florida Bark scorpion care sheet.

Dictator Scorpion Care (Pandinus dictator)

~ BackwaterReptiles

The dictator scorpion (Pandinus dictator) is elusive in the exotic pet world. They are highly sought after, very rare, and some people even argue that this species doesn’t exist! Well, we’re here to assure you that the dictator scorpion is real and what’s more, we care for them and sell them to happy customers at Backwater Reptiles. Read on to learn about Dictator scorpion care in captivity.

In this blog article, we’ll cover topics ranging from physical attributes of the dictator scorpion to its basic care requirements. Continue reading to learn more about this illusory scorpion.

Dictator Scorpion Care

Dictator scorpions are very often confused with their close relative the Emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator). Both are very similar in appearance with the main difference being the size of the animal. Emperor scorpions will rarely grow to be eight inches in length, whereas the dictator scorpion can easily get this big.

dictator scorpion care
Pictured is a gravid female dictator scorpion. She is not all too happy to have her photograph taken, as you can deduce from her stance.

Another more concrete way to distinguish between species of the Pandinus family is to count the number of trichobothria, or small sensitive hairs on the scorpion’s pincers. Each species possesses a different number than its brethren.

Overall, dictator scorpions are a very dark brown or black color. They have stocky, hefty bodies and broad, powerful pincers. Their appendages (i.e. legs and tail) are more substantial than most scorpion species and are known for being rather thick.

Dictators hail from Africa, but they do have a limited range. They can be found in Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, and Equatorial Guinea.

Dictator Scorpion Care Information

Like most scorpion species, the dictator is a shy animal that will spend most of its time hiding in a burrow or crawl space. They usually only come out to eat or mate, so be prepared not to see a whole lot of your dictator unless you go searching for it.

Although many species of scorpion are solitary animals, the dictator actually shows signs of being gregarious. In captivity, it is usually safe to house several scorpions of the same size in a single enclosure, provided you give enough space and don’t put multiple males together.

pandinus dicator female
Dictator scorpions are very large, stocky scorpions with dark bodies. This female has lighter sides showing on her abdomen because she is gravid and like a pregnant human, her “tummy” is stretching to accommodate the baby scorpions.

Your dictator scorpion’s home should have a nice substrate suitable for burrowing. We also recommend a few above ground hide spaces if you want to be able to view your scorpion without digging it out of its substrate.

Although dictators are large invertebrates, they actually don’t need a large enclosure to roam around in. A ten gallon size horizontal glass tank is ideal for one or two dictators, but if you keep more than two together, get a slightly larger tank.

Temperatures should be kept in the mid-80s throughout the day. A slight drop in temperature at night is fine. Because scorpions don’t like bright light, avoid heat lights to keep the temperature at the desired range. Instead, we recommend using heat tape or a commercially constructed heat pad that you can purchase from any commercial pet store.

Dictator Scorpion Feeding

Dictator scorpions are not shy eaters. They are ambush predators and will gladly eat virtually any type of insect.

The dictators at Backwater Reptiles are given gut-loaded crickets, roaches, mealworms, and wax worms as an occasional treat. Usually a few insects per animal every other day is an acceptable amount of food.

Dictator Scorpion Temperament

Although dictator scorpions are certainly large, they are not necessarily overly aggressive. Like any scorpion species, if you are calm when dealing with the animal, it will usually respond to you calmly as well.

Keep in mind though that we do not recommend a dictator scorpion (or any other scorpion for that matter) as a pet that you coddle or hold frequently. Although you can handle your dictator, copious amounts of human interaction can stress the animal and also result in aggression in the form of stinging.

Conclusion – Dictator scorpion care

Dictator scorpions are highly sought after and we understand why. These large scorpions are impressive specimens to show off to friends and family. We keep them successfully in captivity, and rear babies as well.

If you are interested in a rare dictator scorpion of your own, Backwater Reptiles can help you out.